WASHINGTON - In the continuing battle over who in the 8th District Republican primary has closer connections toDemocrats, NashvillePost.com's "PostPolitics" blog tells us today that Stephen Fincher voted in this year's Democratic primary.
We already knew that he and opponent Ronald Kirkland had voted in Democratic primaries in past years, and Fincher's campaign has made a big deal about Kirkland's campaign contributions to Democratic candidate-friends.
A recent Fincher television ad criticized Kirkland for a willingness to work with politicians on the Democratic side of the aisle, and asked, "Is this really a time to reach across the aisle?"
If Democrats lose as many seats in November as some predict but still retain control of Congress, a Republican from the 8th District would be required to work across the aisle, or be irrelevant. If the GOP wins a majority, crossing the aisle could be seen as magnanimous, even statesmanlike.
The stridency of the anti-Democratic Party rhetoric in a district currently represented by a popular conservative Blue Dog Democrat and where many still consider themselves conservative Yellow Dog Democrats may work for the Republican constituency both sides are aiming at. Perhaps it polls well. But it could certainly backfire in a region rife with anti-partisan Tea Partiers voting in their first GOP primary who care little about Ds and Rs.
For the record, Fincher's spokesman, Matt McCullough, said this about the 2010 Democratic primary vote:
"The attacks from Dr. Kirkland's campaign are as misleading as they are laughable. In Crockett County, where Stephen has lived his entire life, there are no Republican primaries for local office. His two options were to vote in the local primary or not participate in the political process at all. Dr. Kirkland's hypocritical attacks are intended to divert from his own record of voting in four Democrat primaries and contributing to Democrat candidates, both personally and through organizations he's led. That's the real issue here."
We'll see.
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